Method of producing an explosive mixture.



A. A. HAMERSGHLAG.

METHOD OF PRODUCING AN EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1913.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

Ii ii 1 2 H WITNESSES INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT orrrcn ABTH UR A.HAMERSCHLAG, 0F PITTSBURQH, PENNSYLVANIA.

fun'rnon or raonncrno AN mzrnosrvn mx'ronn.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR A. HAT/EEK- SCHLAG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and

, ponent of thecharge. It is, therefore, necessary to maintain theliquid at cf vaporizin temperature, and the accom ment of t is and themaintenance of other requisite orhighly, desirable co 1" the primeobjectsof the present The hydrocarbon is preferab of a film whensubjected to tlc. heat and to the air with which the mixes in formingthe explos ch whereby the vaporizing and ti processes have the benefitof a rela large surface area which insures vapor in adequate amount anda thorough of the fuel elements. A further characteristic is theutilization of the film-holding surface as a heating medium, and,preferably, with such surface automatically controlling the temperaturethereof, the flow of heat increasing and decreasing with increased anddecreased demand on the carburetor. The uniform conditions thusautomatically inaintained insure uniformity'in explor' so that theconditions controlled by the iatterare not interfered with.

In the illustrated form of apparatu practising the invention, Figure 1is grammatic sectional elevation, and l Specification of Lettersl'atcnt. Patented Apr, 14, 1914, Application filed .april 17, 1913.Serial No. 761,706.

'and 3 are sectional plans taken on lines 2-2 and -33, respectively, ofFig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates a vaporizing and mixing chamberwith manifold 3 at its top provided with the requisite number of fueloutlets 4:, one for each consumer of explosive mixture, as the cylinderof an internal combustion engine, not shown. The lower portion 5 ofchamber 2 comprises a holder for the liquid hydrocarbon which may enterthrough pipe 6, a valve 7 andfloat 8 automatically maintaining the levelof such fluid,

The film-maintaining surface is here shown consisting of an upright opencoil of wire mesh or netting 9, the lower ends of the convolutio-nsbeing held in spaced relation at the bottom of chamber 2' by the notchedholding bars 1%), and the upper-ends of the convoluions are similarlyheld by one or .more bars 11, all of said bars being formed ofinsulating material to prevent short-cirsuiting, as will presentlyappear. 1

The air inlet pipe 12 communicates with the lower portion of chamber 2,and the screen convolutie are formed with series of air passages 14located preferably in the plane of inlet 12 so that air is freelycommunicated to all of the convolution-separated spaces of the screen.Inletpipe 12 may be embraced by pipe coil 15 through which the jacketwe. r of the engine cylinders may circulate, through which the enginecylinders may exhaust, thereby heating the air before it enters thevaporizing and mixing chamber.

uniform temperature may be maintained within cha er 2 by electricalheating means. l'n adaptation shown, coil '9 constitutes a recuit 16,the circuit ed, respectively, to

the inner and outer ends of the coil, as indicated at 17 and 18. The

flow current m be automatically controlled and a llllilOiLIIltemperature maintained in chamber 2 by means of a carbon pack 19arranged in the circuit and operatively connected to the thermostat 20projected into the chamber. Theelements of the automatic temperaturecontrolling mech anism referred to are of familiar construction and neednot be described in detail.

In operation, the liquid hydrocarbon is distributed over the screenconvolutions by capillary attraction, in this regard the action of thescreen resemblin a wick. A fluid ice in an electric cir-' film ofrelatively large area is thus exposed to the vaporizing heat of the filmsupport ing surfaces, and at the same time the inflowing air has freeaccess to all of the film surfaces and thoroughly mixes with the vaporas the latter is generated. The foraminous film-holding surfaces areconducive to a thorough mixing of the air and vapor, affordingopportunity for the air to freely circulate therethrough. The vaporizingand mixing actions are facilitated by the temperature of the inflowingair, and the preheating of such air reduces the amount of heat thatotherwise would have to be supplied by the. electric heating means. Inorder to maintain a uniform temperature within chamber 2 the infiowingair should not be heated to such a degree as to completely negative theelectrical heating means, the latter embodying the automatic temperaturecontrol which is so adjusted as to define a desirable maximumtemperature. maintained temperature effectively vaporizes thehydrocarbon in such amount as to satisfy varying demands upon thecarbureter, the fiow of heat increasing with increased draft of mixedfuel, and decreasing with decreased outflow, as will be understood.

The vapor pressure of kerosene at atmospheric temperature is too low tobe effective, and for this reason kerosene has been available as amotive fluid for automobile and other engines only after the engine hasbecome heated sufliciently to produce the necessary vaporization. Askerosene could not be used for starting the engine it has been necessaryto use gasolene until the engine has been thoroughly heated up. Theapparatus for this double practice is cumbersome and costly, thegasolene and kerosene requiring separate tanks and carbureters. With thepresent invention these difficulties are overcome, the kerosene beingavailable for starting regardless of the temperature of the engine, thekerosene exposed for vaporization-being maintainedin film form and itstemperature from the beginning of the vaporizing process being such thatthe resultant vapor and air mixture contains vapor and air in properproportions for combustion. While the requisite temperature need not beexactly predetermined it can be accurately approximated. As the heatsupply necessary to maintain such temperature is automaticallycontrolled by the temperature of the explosive charge before it leavesthe carbureter, no difficulty is experienced in keeping it substantiallyuni- The form. And with such automatic control it is obvious thatvariations in the initial temperature of the kerosene, determined by thetemperature of the atmosphere, are of no moment excepting that more heatis of course required, for instance, during cold winter weather than forthe higher temperatures of summer.

The term kerosene is used in the claims to define any and all kinds andgrades of liquidhydrocarbons that are so low in vapor pressure atatmospheric temperatures as not to combine with air in suflicient amountto form efiicient explosive charges for internal combustion engines, butwhich by means of the invention herein disclosed may be utilized with asgood effect as gasolene or other compounds that are sufficientlyvolatile and require no artificial vaporization.

The apparatus herein shown and described is merely illustrative ofvarious forms of apparatus for practising the invention.

I claim 1. The method of producing an explosive mixture consisting inheating a film of kerosene to an efficient vaporizing temperature,utilizing such temperature for automatically maintaining the same, andsubjecting the heated kerosene to a current of air.

2. The method of producing an explosive mixture consisting in producinga film of kerosene, heating the film-holding surface and automaticallymaintaining such temperature by thermostatic action, and subjecting thefilm to a current of air.

3. The method of producing an explosive mixture consisting in producinga film of kerosene, heating the film, controlling the temperature of thefilm automatically by means of its own temperature, preheating air to alower temperature than that of the film, and subjecting the film to theaction of the preheated air.

4. The method of producing an explosive mixture consisting in producinga film of kerosene, heating the film-holding surface to afilm-vaporizing temperature, mixing air with the vapor from the film,and utilizing the temperature of the mixed air and vapor for controllingthe temperature of the filmholding surface.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR A. HAMERSCHLAG. Witnesses:

J. M. NESBIT,

ELLA MCCONNELL.

